Summary
- Strong perceived value of design with 70.2% feel valued in their organizations (ratings 5-7)
- Mixed user focus decision making with 57.7% believe their organisations prioritise user needs
- Ongoing education needed for 69.2% had to invest extra effort in design advocacy
Takeaways
- While designers feel valued, significant effort is still required to educate and advocate for design's importance.
- Organisations show growing recognition of user needs, but the practice at work remains inconsistent.
- The gap between role value (70.2% positive) and fair compensation (51.4% positive) suggests there’s an opportunity to bridge the two.
- Design maturity varies significantly across organisations, with ongoing need for cross-functional education.
- Strong correlation between design advocacy efforts and perceived organisational value, suggesting the work to education is paying off.
User-Centricity
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Organisations show mixed commitment to user needs, with 57.7% reporting strong user focus (ratings 5-7). The data could suggest varying levels of design maturity across Southeast Asian organisations.
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🎙️ Commentary
On the topic of showing design’s value to businesses
- There's an 18.8% gap between design's value and how it's rewarded, as some in the region may still see design as just making things look good rather than being strategic
- Many designers (69.2%) spend a lot of energy proving design's worth, which could lead to burnout or career resignation over time
- What makes "good design" means different things to different businesses - mature companies focus on getting work done rather than following frameworks
- Companies may measure design success in many ways: return on investment, strategic value, customer satisfaction, and brand impact
What This Means For You
If you're a designer:
- Find ways to balance showing design's value with your main work - picking your battles
- Look for business numbers that show how your work makes a difference, considering investing in soft skills and peripheral knowledge
If you're leading a team:
- How can you help others see design as strategic, not just visual, craft, or delivery-based work only?
- Think about ways to show design's value without putting too much pressure on individual designers
If you're running an organisation:
- Check if chasing "design maturity" actually helps your business goals
- Consider what success looks like for design in your specific business
Questions Worth Exploring
- How can Southeast Asian designers help others see design as strategic work?
- Should we focus on formal frameworks or practical business needs?
- Should proving design's value be someone's specific job (management, perhaps) rather than everyone's extra work?
- How can companies measure design's value simply and effectively?
Additional reading and references
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Overview
DemographicsRoles and ExperiencesCompensationCompanySentiments and Perceptions
Offer and NegotiationCareer ProgressionValue of DesignJob Market and OpportunitiesSupport this community initiative
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- Contribute to our open pay database, especially if you're based in Southeast Asia
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